The Prince of Wales’s Canadian tour was marred by scenes of violence last night when anti-monarchist protesters clashed with riot police.
A group of militant Quebecois nationalists struggled with officers sent to clear them away, with one man left bleeding from the head and another dragged from the crowd and arrested. As the violence unfolded the demonstrators began a sitdown protest.
The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall’s arrival was delayed by 40 minutes until the police had cleared the streets - something the Prince later jokingly referred to as “a little local disturbance”.
More than 100 protesters had joined the demonstration outside the regimental hall of The Black Watch of Canada in Montreal where Charles was due to present new regimental colours.



Waving the provincial flag of Quebec and anti-royal placards, the protesters chanted “Majesty go home” and the famous independence call, “the Quebecois in Quebec”.
Some of the group wore balaclavas or hid their faces behind scarves and before the police arrived they threw eggs at soldiers leaving their regimental hall. Soon a Canadian riot unit had been called and they formed a line at one end of the street and walked towards the protesters pushing them back.
The confrontation escalated into ugly scuffles with the demonstrators being hit by the officer’s shields and batons. After the sit-down protest the group were eventually pushed down a side road and the prince and duchess were able to arrive by the front entrance.
Charles is Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment and was dressed in a uniform appropriate to his rank complete with beret, kilt and sporran. The heir to the throne praised the efforts of his regiment over the decades but at the start of his speech apologised for being late.
He told the audience of senior military officials and friends and family of the regiment: “First of all I just wanted to say how very sorry my wife and I are to have kept you all waiting so long - I hear there’s a little local disturbance.”
A Clarence House spokesman accompanying Charles on the trip said: “Their royal highnesses have been made to feel very welcome throughout their visit to Canada, including meeting many wellwishers here in Montreal."

The province of Quebec with its French heritage is known for its anti-monarchist views with many people wanting the Queen removed as head of state.
Julien Gaudeau, a spokesman for the militant nationalist group Réseau de Résistance du Québécois, which organised the protest, said: “The Prince is important as a symbol of power given by the blood. We don’t want this kind of symbol in Quebec: more than 80 per cent of the population in Quebec is opposed to the monarchy.
“In every other province, despite the numbers being low (in the polls) they are still pro-monarchy, the only one that isn’t is Quebec, that’s just one more reason for us to separate.”
Later Charles and Camilla were to attend a Remembrance Day Service at Canada’s National War Memorial in Ottawa.
In the evening the royal couple will be guests of honour at a state dinner hosted by the Governor General, Michaelle Jean, at her official residence.